Hornblower -> RE: Name these Pilots!!! (1/6/2005 5:03:26 PM)
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my 2 cents.. As we all know, the USN/USMC and to a slightly lesser degree the USAAF, rotated units in and out of combat. So, that lessened their times over the front lines. Also, there was a constant movement of some top pilots from their units to the home front to pass on the lessons from the front line- which to a large degree is the reason why the pilot experience levels for the “rookies” increase as the war progresses, IMHO. The IJN/IJA kept there pilots on the front line till shot down, rotated out with sickness, or were planeless and bye-passed by the allies island hopping campaign. I’m of the opinion that if the Americans didn’t rotate there units, not only would the VMF-214’s and VF-17’s of the world have a higher kill total, but also more of there aces would have possibly not survived the war. And keep in mind you can only shoot down planes IF the enemy still has planes/pilots to put up. Eric B’s Fire in the Sky is a good source.
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